Getting the results

If rarer conditions are also being tested for, it can take three weeks or more for the results to come back.

You can usually choose whether to get the results over the phone, or during a face-to-face meeting at the hospital or at home. You'll also receive written confirmation of the results.

What the results mean

Amniocentesis is estimated to give a definitive result in 98-99% of cases.

However, it can't test for every birth defect and, in a small number of cases, it's not possible to get a conclusive result.

For many women who have amniocentesis, the results of the procedure will be "normal". This means that none of the conditions that were tested for were found in the baby.

However, a normal result doesn't guarantee that your baby will be completely healthy as the test only checks for conditions caused by faulty genes, and it can't exclude every condition.

If your test is "positive", your baby has one of the conditions they were tested for. In this instance, the implications will be fully discussed with you and you'll need to decide how to proceed.

What happens if a condition is found

If the test finds that your baby will be born with a condition, you can speak to a number of specialists about what this means.

These could include your midwife, a consultant paediatrician, a geneticist and/or a genetic counsellor.

They'll be able to give you detailed information about the condition – including the possible symptoms your child may have, the treatment and support they might need, and whether their life expectancy will be affected – to help you decide what to do.

A baby born with one of these conditions will always have the condition, so you'll need to consider your options carefully. Your main options are:

continue with your pregnancy while gathering information about the condition, so you're prepared for caring for your baby